Peter Mawson Ltd, a building and joining firm, has been fined £200,000 for corporate manslaughter 20,000 for a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Company owner Peter Mawson was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years and 200 hours unpaid work.
He was also served with a publicity order that compels him to advertise what happened on the company website for a set period of time (www.mawsonjoiners.co.uk). He must also take out a half page advertisement in the local newspaper to further publicise the im,pacty of his actions and inactions. On top of this, he must pay costs of £31,504.77.
Both Peter Mawson and his company had pleaded guilty to the charges at Preston Crown Court. They related to the death of 42-year-old Jason Pennington on 25th October 2011 at the premises of West Cumberland Farmers Ltd in Lindal, Ulverston. Mr Pennington had been working on the roof and had fallen through the skylight more than seven metres onto a concrete floor. He died in hospital shortly after.
HSE investigating inspector Chris Hatton said: “Peter Mawson knew the clear panels on the roof weren’t safe to walk on but neither he nor his company provided any equipment to prevent workers falling to their death. If scaffolding or netting had been fitted under the fragile panels, or covers had been fitted over them, then Jason would still be here today.”
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